Covered buckle



Nov. 17, 1959 A. DRlTz COVERED BUCKLE Filed Dec. 6. 1957 INVENTOR. A RTH UR .DR/TZ /f fr0/swf V5.

United States Patent O COVERED BUCKLE Arthur Dritz, Brooklyn, N.Y.,assignor to John Dritz & Sons, New York, N.Y., a partnership ApplicationDecember 6, 1957, serial No. 701,038

1 claim. (c1. 24-163) The present invention relates to a buckleconstruction, and in particular to that type of buckle adapted to becovered by the home dressmaker with a layer of fabric or the like.

As a consequence of the revival of home dressmaking a great demand hasarisen for buckle frames which the home dressmaker can cover with fabricmatching the fabric of the belt or garment with which the buckle is tobe used, or contrasting therewith in any desired manner. Many types ofsuch buckle frames are available on the market. Most comprisetelescopable top and bottom frame pieces. The home dressmaker will cut alayer of covering material, such as fabric, to appropriate size andshape, that covering material will be wrapped around the upper framepiece so as to cover the exposed surfaces thereof and the lower framepiece then will be inserted into the upper frame piece, being held inassembled position in any desired manner.

Because buckles are usually secured to one end of a belt and have theother end of the belt passed therethrough, the buckles are generally ofring-shape, having a central opening, and they usually have a crosspieceextending across the central opening. (The term ring-shape is notlimited to devices having a circular shape, but also comprehends otherconfigurations, such as square; rectangular, hexagonal etc. as well asother regular and irregular geometric shapes.) The home dressmaker istherefore presented with many difficulties in attempting to cover thebuckle frames. The covering layer of fabric or the like must be cutclosely to the proper size and shape. If it is too small the buckleframe will not be adequately covered and portions thereof maybe renderedvisible. If it is too large there may not be room within the coveredupper frame piece to receive all of the covering layer which is foldedthereinto and 'still properly receive the lower frame piece therein, andan excess of infolded covering material Will make itvery difficult, ifnot impossible, to achieve a uniform and smooth covering of the exteriorof the buckle. In addition, even if the covering layer is of proper sizeand shape, it is a matter of some diiculty to cause the covering layerto conform accurately and smoothly tothe shape of the buckle frame,particularly when the frame is provided with corners or sharply curvedperipheral areas. Under normal circumstances the covering layer must bedrawn quite tautly over the frame piece, and in attempting to achievethis tautness by Ipulling on the covering layer it is exceedinglydifficult to retain the buckle frame centered with respect to thecovering layer. This is particularly important since those portions ofthe covering layer initially extending across the central opening of theframe piece are precut to define flaps adapted to be bent up inside theframe piece and cover the exposed inner surfaces thereof. If the framepiece is not properly centered with respect to the covering sheet theseprecut flaps will be too long on one side and tooY short-on ther otherside, thus produc- ICC 2 ing bunching of the covering on said one sideand inadequate covering on said other side..

In accordance with the present invention means are provided forrendering the covering of a buckle of the type under discussionsubstantially foolproof, and for making attractive and effectivecovering of such buckle frames well within the skill of the average homedressmaker. To that end it is proposed that a sheet of pliable and formretaining material be supplied with each buckle frame, that sheet beingformed, for example, of metal foil of appropriate thickness, and beingadapted to be interposed between the covering layer and the frame piecewhich is to be covered and to be secured, by means of pressure sensitiveadhesive or the like, to the covering layer prior to the time that it isplaced upon the buckle frame piece. This form retaining sheet will havea peripheral size and shape so related to the peripheral size and shapeof the buckle frame that it may function as a template to ensure thatthe covering layer of fabric or the like is also of proper size andshape.

The advantages and mode of use of such a sheet of pliablev and formretaining material in covering buttons or buckles is disclosed, and itsuse as thus broadly designated is claimed, in my copending applicationSer. No; 548,937 led November 25, 1955 entitled, Hand-Assembled FabricCovered Button, and assigned to the assignee of the instant application.

In accordance with the present invention, it has been found that bymodifying the pliable sheet in the manner hereinafter set forth, manyproblems peculiarl to the covering of buckles are solved with signalsuccess, and in particular the problems of appropriately centering thebuckle frame with respect to the covering layer, accurately forming theaps in the central portion of the covering layer which are adapted to bebent around the exposed inside surfaces of the buckle frame, andachieving accurate and attractive covering of the corners or sharplycurved areas of the buckle frame. To these ends the sheet of pliable andform retaining material is preembossed so as to present, on the surfacethereof adapted to be engaged by the buckle frame piece to be covered,an intaglio pattern of the size and shape of the ring portion of thebuckle. As a further refinement, the sheet of pliable and form retainingmaterial is provided, over the central portion thereof, with cuts orscoring through which the home dressmaker can cut after the pliablesheet has been secured to the covering layer, thereby to form in thecovering assembly defined by the covering layer and the pliable sheetattached thereto, flaps of proper size, shape and position to accuratelyand effectively cover the inner surfaces of the buckle frame.

After the pliable sheet has been secured to the covering layer and theinner aps have been formed therein by cutting, the upper frame piece tobe covered is set down upon the exposed surface of the pliable sheet soas to be received within the intaglio pattern. Thereafter the combinedcovering layer and pliable sheet is bent up around the outside andinside of the frame piece and is folded over into the frame piece. Sincethe frame piece is positioned by means of the intaglio pattern withinwhich it is received, it will not tend to shift its position and becomeoff-center, and if it does any such shift will be immediately apparentand can be accurately corrected. Because of the embossed pattern in thepliable sheet the combined sheet and covering layer is in effectpartially prefolded, and this is particularly significant with respectto the corners or sharply curved areas of the buckle. As a result smoothand even conformation of the two-ply covering assembly to the PatentedNov. 17, 1959V buckle frame is ensured. ln addition, because the pliablesheet is form-retaining, once one portion thereof has been folded aroundand into the frame piece it will tend to remain in that position withouthaving to be held, thus permitting the home dressmaker to turn herattention to the covering of other portions of the buckle frame withouthaving to worry about the portions thereof which she has alreadycovered.

To the accomplishment of the above, and to such other objects as mayhereinafter appear, the present invention relates to the construction ofa covered buckle as defined in the appended claim and as described inthis specification, taken together with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. l is an exploded view of the various parts of one embodiment of thepresent invention, the sheet of pliable and form retaining materialbeing shown with a protective covering of paper or the like on itsadhesived surface, which covering is adapted to be stripped therefrom;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view showing the upper frame piece which isto be covered received within the intaglio pattern preformed in thepliable sheet after the later has been secured to the covering layer;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but on an enlarged scale and showingthe covering assembly bent around the upper frame piece into coveringposition;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the buckle in completelyassembled condition with the lower frame piece telescoped thereinto;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View, on a reduced scale, of the assembled andcovered buckle; and

Fig. 6 is a top plan view thereof.

The buckle frame comprises an upper frame piece generally designated 2which is adapted to be covered and a lower frame piece generallydesignated 4 which is adapted to be telescoped into the frame piece 2 inorder to complete the assembly of the buckle. T he frame pieces are hereshown in the form of a rectangle having sides 6 and 8 and ends 1t) and12, a cross bar ld extending therebetween so that a pair of open spaceslo and 18 are formed centrally thereof, the lower frame piece 4 havingcorresponding parts similarly designated but differentiated by beingprimed. The sides, ends and cross bars at least of the upper frame piece2 are hollow and open at the bottom so that the corresponding portionsof the lower frame piece 4 and portions of the covering materialhereinafter to be described can be received therewith.

The upper frame piece 2 is adapted to be covered by a layer of fabric orthe like generally designated 20. A sheet of pliable and form-retainingmaterial generally designated 22 is adapted to be secured to thecovering layer 20 and interposed between it and the upper frame piece 2.The sheet 22 may be formed of metal foil or the like. As shown in Fig. lthe sheet 22 has its undersurface coated with a layer of pressuresensitive adhesive, and is initially supplied with a strippable papersheet 24 covering the adhesived surface so as to protect the adhesive.The sheet 22 is of a size and shape corresponding to that of the framepiece 2 but somewhat larger, so that it can serve as a template for thecutting of the covering layer 20 to the proper size and shape for theparticular frame piece 2 involved. The sheet 22, after the protectivepaper 241 has been stripped therefrom, may be placed atop a larger sheetof the covering layer 20 and secured thereto, after which that largersheet of covering layer can be cut around the periphery of the sheet 22,as indicated by the dot-dash line 2li' in Fig. l, so that it will takethe shape of the sheet 22.

The sheet 22 is provided with a preformed embossing producing anintaglio pattern or depression on its nonadhesived surface correspondingto the configuration of the ring portion of the buckle frame 2. Thatpattern, in Fig. l, is generally designated 26, and, for the particularl frame piece 2 illustrated, comprises interconnected depressions 6a,8a, 10a and 12a corresponding respectively to the sides and ends 6-12 ofthe frame piece 2. The central portion of the sheet 22 is furtherprovided with a pattern of cuts or scores generally designated 28 andhere specifically shown as comprising parallel lateral lines 30terminating in short longitudinally oriented lines 32, longitudinallyoriented lines 34 extending outwardly in opposite directions from thecenters of the lines 30 and then branching into diagonal lines 36. Theselines of cuts or scoring 3f-3e serve as guides through which the homedressmaker will cut in order to produce corresponding cuts in thecovering layer 2@ therebeneath, in this way forming flaps 38, ill and 42inside the intaglio pattern 26.

To cover and assemble the buckle the first step is to apply the formretaining sheet 22 to the covering layer 2G, cut the covering layer 20to the size and shape of the sheet 22, and cut through the lines Sil-36,as above described. Next the upper frame piece 2 is inverted and placedupon the exposed surface of the sheet 22 so that its sides and ends6-ll2 are received inside the portions 6al2a of the intaglio pattern 26,as may be seen in Fig. 2. This will ensure the accurate centering andoverall proper positioning of the frame piece 2 relative tothe coveringassembly 201, 22.

Next those portions of the covering assembly 2l), '22 outside theintaglio pattern 26 Vare bent up around land folded into the exposedsides and ends of the frame piece 2. Because of the preformed intagliopattern 26 this is a relatively easy thing to accomplish, even at thecorners of the buckle frame, because the intaglio pattern 26 in effectproduces a prebending which accurately conforms to the periphery of theframe piece 2. Because of the form-retaining nature of the sheet 22,once one of the sections of the peripheral portion of the coveringassembly 2l), 22 has been thus bent and infolded, it will remain in thatposition while other sections thereof are similarly bent up andinfolded. It is an easy matter to thus draw the covering assembly 20, 22tautly over the vsurface of the frame piece 2 and to form smooth andattractive corners. Any tendency of the frame Apiece 2 to shift from itscentered position because of the tension exerted on the coveringassembly 20, 22 in folding it up and in will be resisted because of thedepressed or intaglio areas in which the frame piece 2 is received. Ifthere should be any shift of the frame piece 2 that will immediatelybecome apparent because portions of the intaglio pattern 26, preferablyhidden by the frame piece 2, will become visible and the home dressmakercan move the frame piece 2 back to proper position before proceedingfurther.

Next the flaps 38 are bent Vup around the sides of the cross bar 14, theflaps 40 are bent up around the inside of the sides 6 and 8, andthe aps42 are bent up around the inside of the ends l0 and 12 of the framepiece 2, the two latter sets of flap-s preferably being of sufficientlength so as to be folded inside the corresponding sides and ends of theframe piece 2. This condition of the buckle is shown in Fig. 3.

Thereafter the lower frame piece 4 is telescoped into the covered framepiece 2, there to be held by friction and, if desired, by any othermeans, such as the crimping of the central portions of the cross bar 14of the upper frame piece 2 so as to engage the cross bar 14 of the lowerbuckle section 4.

In order to assist in the immediate ascertaining of the shift of theframe piece y2 while it is being covered, and in order to make moreapparent the function and purpose of the intaglio pattern 26 on the formretaining sheet 22, the exposed surface of the sheet 22 corresponding tothe intaglio pattern 26 may be colored or Vmarked in a mannercontrasting visually with the remainder of that exposed surface.

Thus it will be seen that the form retaining sheet 22, in the form herespecifically disclosed not only facilitates the covering of buckles in-the .manner .set forthlin my copending application Ser. No. 548,937,previously referred to, but also ensures that the buckle frame piece tobe covered will be accurately centered with respect to the coveringassembly 20, 22, that covering of the corners or other sharply curved orangled portions thereof may be readily accomplished, and that the flapsfor covering the inner surfaces of the frame piece are accurately andeffectively produced and manipulated, and all in a way which will bereadily understandable even to a user of normal mechanical skill.

While but a single embodiment of the present invention has been heredisclosed, it will be apparent that many variations maybe made therein,all Within the spirit of the invention as defined in the followingclaim.

I claim:

A covered buckle comprising, in combination, a ringshaped frame piecehaving a central opening, a covering layer covering the outer and sidesurfaces of said frame piece and having a surface which faces said framepiece, and, interposed between said covering layer and said frame pieceand secured to that surface of said covering layer facing said framepiece, a sheet of pliable and form-retaining material, said sheet havingformed intaglio on the surface thereof facing said frame piece a patterncorresponding to the shape of said frame piece and depressed below thelevel of said sheet proper, into which intaglio pattern said frame pieceis adapted'to be received, said sheet, with said covering layer securedthereto, being adapted to be bent up around saidframe piece so as tosecure said covering layer thereto.

References Cited in the le of thisA patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,637,832 Miller Aug. 2, 1927 2,076,249 Parke Apr. 6, 1937 2,228,771Levin et al. Ian. 14, 1941 2,577,898 Lerma Dec. 1l, 1951 2,624,089 EatonJan. 6, 1953 2,643,430 Koehl et al. June 30, 1953 2,654,927 Tansman`Oct. 13, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 986,290 France Mar. 21, 1951 986,564France 1 Mar. 28, 1951

